“It’s Stupid”: Guenther Steiner’s Red Bull Dream Shelved as Kevin Magnussen Inflicts Rough Prediction

It seems to be the same story for Haas every year. They seem to make a promising step forward but falter as the season progresses. Dealing with problems in recent races, Haas and its boss, Guenther Steiner, are at a very important point. They’re finding it hard to keep up, and people are unsure about how strong they are. This makes everyone focus more on their expected improvements and how well they’ll work. As we look forward, fans are interested to see what happens to Haas with their major upgrades at the big US Grand Prix.

Upgrades are a crucial part that Haas has struggled with in the past too. The frequency of their upgrade packages is directly proportional to their small team size & lack of good investment. With a big sponsor like MoneyGram, Steiner expected 2023 to be different. That is why he was bullish about the US GP package being on the same plane Red Bull, but that seems to be on the vanish too now.

The ‘Red Bull’ dream for Guenther Steiner and Kevin Magnussen’s Reservations

After once again failing to score points, it seems like Haas and Guenther Steiner have had enough. With the next F1 race set to be at the Circuit of The Americas. The hometown team, Haas, is ready to take the next step toward improvement. Haas’ VF-23 will receive some much-needed upgrades that will finally help them attain consistent points. Reportedly, the VF-23 upgrades will somewhat follow a similar road as McLaren and their mid-season upgrades.

Guenther Steiner has been happy to see the VF-23 finally with the upgrades. However, his driver Kevin Magnussen shares a rather different perspective on these ‘McLaren-esque’ upgrades that mirror Red Bull’s RB19. As per Formula Passion, “ On paper we don’t expect a huge increase in downforce” stated Kevin. He made sure to ease down the expectations by explaining that rather than being a mirror of RB19. The upgrades for VF-23 are more of a unique concept. He was candid enough to admit that the changes look good on paper, but when on track, it’s another story.

The Danish driver did admit that if these changes end up making the VF-23 easier to drive, it’ll create a positive chain reaction. Which will ultimately benefit major aspects of the car. “but it’s stupid to say that we expect to make a huge leap forward with an update that doesn’t look much better on paper.” [translated via Google]

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Kevin made sure to conclude with a reality check to everyone who might have been expecting these upgrades to be better than anticipated. Especially for the Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner.

Implications of Haas’ strategic shift and their future

Magnussen’s careful view not only showed the tough challenges Haas faces. But also made people talk about what it means for their future in the 2024 season. Haas’ choice to mirror Red Bull hinted at a big change. The significance of this change leading Haas on the right track is crucial. With the team expecting to undergo a massive overhaul, the stakes are quite high! The future of the team can quite possibly rest on the next season’s VF-24.

But whether Guenther’s words will end up becoming true remains to be seen. While the team principals might be more aware of the upgrades and their potential. At the end of the day, it’s the driver who understands the machine better.

The implications of Haas’ strategic shift reverberated across the Formula 1 community. The upcoming Austin Grand Prix has now gained heightened significance as a pivotal moment for Haas. The Circuit of The Americas will not only serve as a litmus test for the viability of their strategic approach. But also its possible wider influence on the future of Formula 1.

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Moreover, the epic battle between McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes to finish behind Red Bull in the constructors’ championship remains to be seen. With Sergio Perez also facing an early deadline to save his seat, fans can expect some top-tier entertainment. Scoring points at the Austin Grand Prix will be no easy task for Haas. What do you think about Haas’s F1 progress?